


Surrounded On All Sides. ( Un amour de folie Part 2)

by yetanothereireannach



Series: Walking On A Tightrope [2]
Category: Cosima Niehaus - Fandom, Delphine Cormier - Fandom, Orphan Black, cophine
Genre: Angst, Betrayal, Canon, Cosima - Freeform, DYAD, Delphine - Freeform, Drama, F/F, Intrigue, Lesbian, Love, Neolution, Orphan Black - Freeform, Sacrifice, Some light smut, self discovery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-01
Updated: 2015-10-01
Packaged: 2018-04-24 06:50:23
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,828
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4909492
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yetanothereireannach/pseuds/yetanothereireannach
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>So this continues on from Where True Allegiences Lie left off. I've merged the stroylines ( more or less) from episode 3.9 and the season finale. We mainly see things from Delphines perspective during and after her interrogation of Shay, her newly re-kindled romance with Cosima and all that Dyad drama. We learn a lot about Delphine's back-story, what makes her tick her motivations and explanations for why she does the things she does.( sadly underdeveloped in the show I think).</p><p>I know there are a few fanfics floating around dealing with the aftermath of season three but I really enjoyed writing part one and two, and I have some rather interesting ideas as to how to mix it up for part three :D</p>
            </blockquote>





	Surrounded On All Sides. ( Un amour de folie Part 2)

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys here is part two I hope ye enjoy! :D Part three is in the works and im having a lot of fun with it :P
> 
> Feel free to drop me a comment if you have any advice or constuctive criticisms, I'm new to this so I am well aware there is much room for improvement :) 
> 
> Thanks for reading!

 After Cosima had left Delphine tried to think, it was already almost six AM and she had not slept, she was supposed to be up and out in an hour and at DYADS offices in two. Not that sleep was important, Delphine couldn’t have slept if she had tried. She told Cosima to leave it to her… but the “it” remained to be seen. She had Cosima now, Cosima was once again hers, and she Cosima’s. However, Delphine knew well that with their rekindled romance came innumerable complications, responsibilities, and dangers. And Shay.

Delphine had had her concerns about that woman from the beginning, and her concerns were not only caused by her intimate relationship with Cosima. She would be lying if she said part of was not jealously, but as for the rest? Well, Delphine simply knows better. The timing for example, Shay’s timing had been too perfect. Shay was too perfect. The woman was exactly Cosima’s “type”, with a bohemian air around her that mirrored Cosima’s own, an air that Delphine never would or could possess. But that’s not the point… now she is transgressing. This is not about jealously. Delphine is simply sure Shay is not who she says she is, that she has been specifically selected for Cosima, and that Shay is her monitor. More concerning still is the nature of their relationship as this highlights the nature of Shay’s profession, it makes Shay an “intimate” monitor.

Although Delphine had been originally assigned to monitor Cosima that, an intimate relationship that is, had never been part of her role, it was never part of her assignment to become Cosima’s lover. Delphine’s role as monitor was one of companionship, she had been told to get close and befriend the clone, not seduce her. Everything romantic that had happened between them had been completely unexpected and unplanned.

Intimate monitors on the other hand, Delphine knew were chosen and trained differently. Delphine was aware that several other of Cosima clones had intimate monitors, such as Beth and Paul and Crystal and her monitor Hector, as of yet Cosima had not had one… probably because they had obviously been unaware of Cosima’s Sapphic disposition before Delphine.

Intimate monitors are chosen for skills that go far beyond matching the obvious criteria necessary for being suitably attractive to the subject. These monitors are primarily trained and chosen for their ability to not get emotionally attached to the subject but still seem emotionally engaged and intimate. They are chosen for their ability feign love and affection, to play the role of love and lover while orchestrating also the more physical aspects of a romantic relationship. Intimate monitors are trained to be ruthless and conscienceless, to use their mark, to extract information all feigning trustworthiness in order to accomplish their directive.

Delphine was certain Shay was a monitor, and now Delphine has further reason to believe so, as Cosima said the woman saw the book, and the next day the book gets stolen? It cannot be simple coincidence. Cosima is exposed, and Delphine can only hope that she has been honest with her about keeping her work confidential but still, she herself knows what information a monitor can be privy to in private.

Now Delphine has the pressing problem of finding out who tipped off Castor about the book, and she would bet anything it was Cosima’s petite blonde companion. Leave it to her Delphine had said…. Yet she has no idea what she plans to do but she knows she needs to do something, and fast. She would have to break Shay by any means necessary, but Delphine is not a fool, she knows it won’t be easy. Monitors are given specific training to resist interrogation, but break her she must… so break her she will. The question was how?

Delphine could not detain Shay at DYAD as she had done with Rachel, it was too obvious a move, and Cosima doubtless would be less than thrilled with the arrangement. Delphine was also unsure of who she could trust, the list seemed to be growing smaller and smaller, and she doubted she could entrust someone else to deal with “delicate” matter for her. No she could not delegate this… she would have to handle it herself.

Wracking her brain she tries to come up with a strategy to get the blonde to admit the truth, when suddenly Delphine is hit by a flash of memory. Delphine shudders and thinks back reluctantly to her days at boarding school. Some of the worst times of her life had happened during those years, along with her fair share of intimidation.

For you see, Delphine had been made a personal project by a group of girls who seemed to take extreme pleasure in torturing and tormenting the young blonde. They hated her, for her intelligence, weirdness, gangliness and who knows what else. One of their particular favourite things to do to the blonde was to trap her in the bathrooms, lock her in, and then three girls would pin her down while Céline, their leader would hover over Delphine, a small razor in hand… Delphine would never forget the terror she felt at that blade hanging over her eye, or grazing her cheek or thigh. Though Céline had never actually followed through with the cutting, her mental torture was enough to have the blonde a quaking mess, and as if that was not enough the girls made sure Delphine never made one friend in the six years she attended that school.

Once, shortly after her fifteenth birthday when Delphine could not take any more of the constant torment or loneliness she stole off to the bathroom herself late at night with one of those very razors, and with it Delphine slit her wrists. Delphine did not cut in a frenzy, after all it was not a spur of the moment decision, but instead she cut with slow surgical precision and waited for a sweet oblivion that never came. Just as Delphine was starting to black out she was found by a prefect who was drawn to the light that was left on after curfew. And so she had lived…Delphine had been found too early, unfortunately Delphine at the time had not been aware at the time that a more efficient and sure dispatch was to also cut the metatarsal artery on top of her feet as well as the wrists. However after the attempt on her life things did “improve” slightly for the blonde, for instance the girls abruptly stopped their mission to make her life hell and the taunting stopped with them.

The only real problem she faced was that everyone knew what she had tried to do, and so were afraid of her and she became more of an outcast than ever… but for Delphine, the end to constant fear, torment and ridicule was liberating in itself. Delphine threw herself into her studies and excelled, she graduated early with impeccable grades and escaped to university. Returning from her memories Delphine shudders… it has been so long but she cannot forget the razors… Delphine remembers the visceral fear they invoked in her, she remembers how intimidating the girls were, even wielding such a small piece of metal. Delphine knew she had found her inspiration, this was the best way she could try and break Shay… she would relive her boarding school days, but this time the role would be reversed.

Delphine glances down to the very slight and subtle ridges that lay upon her wrists. No one without closer inspection would guess their source, or probably even notice as they scars had faded to the same colour as her ivory skin, but Delphine herself had looked at them every day until she had met Cosima.

Delphine had looked at them fondly, knowing if she attempted to try such a thing again she would not fail. They were a reminder to her, a reminder she could escape is she wished so. Delphine had never feared death, she was even in her later days at most indifferent to the idea. It is not that her life did not hold its pleasures, after boarding school Delphine did find some enjoyment in life, she followed her passion for science, graduating top of her class, publishing referenced scientific articles, and being head hunted for DYAD. Delphine was proud of her excellence, she was proud of her intellect, and she simply loved the science. Nevertheless even on her best day Delphine never cared much one way or another if she lived or died. That was at least until she had met Cosima. Cosima had shown her what it really was to live, and what else there was in the world to live for. There was so much more to live for than prestige or science, there was Cosima, the woman who made Delphine want to live, with her, forever.

Delphine shook herself from her reveries, now that she had her plan of action she needed to get moving, she said to herself as she glanced longingly at her bed, her sheets still rumpled and inviting after her and Cosima’s intimate reunion just hours before. Sighing to herself Delphine made herself a coffee, took a shower, straightened her hair, donned a suit and heels and stepped out the door. Waiting outside her building were her body guards, and after a pit stop at a local convenience store Delphine procured a blade she made her way to Shay’s apartment.

Shay’s apartment was yet another on a long list of reasons Delphine had to believe that Shay was a mole. After her impromptu “drop in “on Shay (knowing full well Cosima was there) Delphine had done some digging into Shay’s financials. It should be impossible for Shay to afford that apartment on her more or less non-existent salary, logic was Delphine’s friend and it made her more certain that Shay was indeed a monitor employed by Castor, it was after all the logical conclusion.

However her resolve began to weaken when she arrived at the front door of Shay’s apartment. Delphine began to shake… was she really going through with this? Could she really threaten this woman with a blade? Cut her if need be? Or even still… go further? Was she capable of such a thing?

In a flash the image of Rachel swims again before her eyes, she remembers holding the bedridden, crippled woman to the bed as she pushed her thumb into the pulpy mass where her eye used to be. Delphine had tortured that woman. There was no other word for it. Delphine had needed to know about Helsinki… and she had got what needed. She remembers how ruthless she was, how persistent, she remembers feeling nothing while doing it, she felt disembodied, staring down pitiless from above as he watched her body inflict herself on the clone. Delphine remembers this and she suddenly realises what she is truly capable of. Delphine is capable of terrible things. She has done terrible things… and now for Cosima and her sisters she will do yet another truly terrible thing. Delphine gathers herself and raises a condescending smile to her lips before knocking on the front door.

Delphine waltzes past the miniature blonde with a confidence she does not feel and commands the blonde to sit down. Looking at her Delphine can see the appeal. After all Shay is quite lovely, with piecing blue eyes, straight blond hair, with bangs that frame her face and a diminutive frame that is the polar opposite of Delphine’s own. However, Delphine knows well that Shay has been chosen precisely for these qualities along with her more dangerous attributes. This woman is a threat to Cosima, this woman has betrayed Cosima, and this reinforces Delphine’s resolve to get what she needs to help Cosima and all of Leda. She will do what has to be done.

After a short time Delphine has enough, and decides it is time to get down to business, she walks to the blinds and closes them. Then Delphine walks to the bath and sits, steeling herself to what she is about to do she reaches down to her boot, and as she withdraws the blade her mind goes blank. Delphine goes to a place she has been many times before… the place she lived for a time after she failed to kill herself, the place she was while Aldous was rutting on top of her, the place she was when she abused the broken Rachel, the place she was as she looked down at Cosima’s dead clone, just before the autopsy, desperate not to see her own love in that face.

In this place Delphine does not feel, she does not really think, she is on autopilot. The tall blonde does not remember much of what she had did or said to the smaller woman but as her phone chimes shrilly in her pocket she is brought back to reality. Looking at an ashen faced Shay she however judges her actions to have been effective so far for Shay is as white as a sheet, she holds herself tightly on the sofa, and sits trembling with tears in her eyes. Delphine can see looking into those blue eyes that Shay knows exactly how far Delphine is willing to go with this. She has not talked yet… But she will Delphine thinks to herself. The phone chimes again and Delphine glances briefly at the screen. Cosima. Oh god…. Cosima.

Cosima will never forgive her for this no matter what the circumstances. Delphine quickly answers the phone, and is caught completely off guard as she is met with a chirpy “ Heeeeeyy… how it going? Here Delphine is contemplating mutilation, torture and possible murder, and she is greeted with how is it going? Delphine restrains herself and rolls her eyes, responding with a sardonic “Wonderful… I’m kind of busy… what do you need?

What Cosima says next makes her blood run cold… “Look, about the book… it wasn’t Shay it was Gracie. She told Castor about the book.” But Delphine has already stopped listening, slowly she pulls the phone down from her face and turns to face her quaking captive.

It wasn’t her? No… it doesn’t make sense. It had to be her… Delphine was so sure, so sure that it was Shay who was Castors mole. Delphine hesitates, looking at the blonde who still resolutely denies any knowledge of Castor or Leda. Could it be possible she was not who Delphine thought she was? Non… C’est impossible… there are too many holes, Shay’s financials and Shay’s military background are just among the first that spring to mind. Delphine hesitates, rolling the blade between long graceful fingers. Delphine is sure, she knows there is something off about this woman… she has already gone this far… why not go further to get the truth for once and for all?

The blade nicks Delphine’s finger and the sharp pain brings her back to reality. Delphine lets out a shudder, the true horror and comprehension of the consequences of her actions sink in. She had to get out of here… mole or not Shay was apparently innocent of what Delphine had been interrogating her for, and there was Gracie… she had to get a handle on the situation and let Sarah know what is happening.

Abruptly Delphine turns to the quivering woman before her and regards her coldly, her mask firmly set in place, hiding her shame and revulsion. She throws the blade nonchalantly to her right and says “Very well Shay. That will be all for now.” leaving the stunned woman on the couch as she turns on her heel and gestures her men to follow before marching out the door without so much as a second glance.

Finally when the door is shut and Delphine pauses in front of it to gather herself, she hears it. A long and low wail, followed by a deep and hard sobbing. Delphine takes a deep breath, she swallows the bile rising to the back of her throat and coldly leads herself and her bodyguards out of the building.

Back at DYAD and finally alone Delphine’s mind roils. On arrival she had vomited three times, her body dry heaving as she literally was empty. Delphine was quite simply horrified at the role she was playing, of the things she had to do. Delphine was no stranger to making hard decisions or having to do morally questionable things to achieve her goals, but this is different.

Delphine has never liked herself, never, not once. Delphine knows she is not a good person, and she knew she never had been. She knows she is cold, calculating and analytical… reason and logic being her driving force in life, science being her only true passion before Cosima.

Cosima obviously was not Delphine’s first sexual encounter though indeed she was the only woman Delphine had ever taken to bed. Delphine had taken lovers in passing before, though not for any affection or actual desire but for utility. She did not care much at all that she wasn’t attracted to them, to Delphine attraction was just a chemical reaction, useless and unnecessary. Delphine’s encounters had been those of convenience, and for those who proved to be of use to her Delphine had returned the favour. Sex was a tool, and she had felt nothing about exploiting it. Her mentors seemed to expect it from her, and so she had complied but Delphine knew on meeting Cosima that she had cheapened herself, Delphine finally realised what she was worth. She had vowed to herself never again prostitute herself and called her ‘’arrangement” off with Aldous, much to the man’s displeasure, not that Delphine cared at all about what Leekie thought.

All in all social contexts and situations could be very confusing for Delphine, as she had never had actual friends, she had never had anyone to talk to about the intricacies of relationships, both sexual and platonic. Of course after escaping that wretched boarding school Delphine had gone to university and made a place as well as a name for herself, but she was still an outsider.

Delphine knew that she had grown out of being the gangly, wild haired skinny girl she was into a tall hauntingly beautiful woman, that possessed intellect and ambition, so it was normal people would try and latch on to her. Graduating top of her class, and on the cutting edge of research Delphine had gathered not friends but admirers, for both her beauty and her brain.

In retrospect Delphine could see that her intelligence seemed to be based on a solid sense of logic and reasoning, and this reasoning seemed to replace Delphine’s empathy over time. Delphine was a woman who had always solidly believed in the ends justifying the means, and being so disassociated from her emotions had indeed been useful, permitting her to use herself, her body and other people to achieve her goals without being much concerned about the ethics or consequences of her actions.

Like she said, she KNEW she was not a good person, however what she had not realised until she met Cosima Niehaus was that she, Delphine Cormier was capable of WANTING to be a better person. Cosima had made Delphine feel … things she never before had. Things she didn’t know she could feel.

Even as Cosima’s monitor in the beginning before things got so complicated, Delphine was intrigued and enraptured by the clone.

Delphine couldn’t deny the effect the clone had on her, Cosima drew her out of herself and as their subject/monitor relationship developed Delphine found herself playing less and less her role. The thing was, Cosima “got” Delphine and Delphine actually “got” Cosima… she got her nerdiness, her geekiness and to Delphine’s surprise she was actually enchanted by it.

Delphine felt more at ease with that tiny woman than she had ever felt with anyone in her life, she felt she could actually talk to this tiny gorgeous woman. With Cosima, Delphine actually laughed, like REALLY LAUGHED. Perhaps it should not be deemed so unusual, after all the brunette was hilariously funny, possessing not only a dry and cheeky wit but also an extensive repertoire of geeky science jokes that had Delphine in stitches every time. But to Delphine it was unusual…who knew, she the heartless Delphine Cormier could find such things actually amusing.

Delphine also realised to her great surprise that with Cosima she herself was capable of being funny, never having the necessity or occasion before. Sad as it may seem in it had never occurred to Delphine that she could amuse another person, but with Cosima’s wit her own had emerged and she revelled in her ability to make the clone laugh.

The genuine affection that Delphine seemed to develop instantly was yet another element of their relationship that had surprised Delphine, despite the evident and duplicitous nature of their relationship and constructed introduction Delphine had very quickly become fond of the woman, looking forward to seeing her and spending time in her company. Delphine had tried to tell herself not to get attached, to remain professional and objective but it was impossible, she could not help herself. Unbeknownst to herself, it was not Delphine’s careful “social” smile that she had fashioned for social interactions that broke out over her face every time they met, but a smile that tugged the corners of her mouth upwards and unleashed her teeth, a smile that made her eyes shine and crinkle and her Dimples pop.

It seems obvious to Delphine now that she had been drawn to the woman from the get go, but Delphine had been oblivious to the attraction. Yes, the attraction.

Cosima was simply gorgeous. Delphine remembers seeing her working in the lab before they had ever really been introduced thinking “Wow. That is genetic engineering at its finest” the woman was quite literally stunning, Delphine found her beauty quite intimidating, but not only was there her beauty, but there was also her intelligence. Delphine found her gaze pulled to Cosima like a magnet, she thought at the time it was simply the fact Cosima was a clone but it was not that. Delphine was drawn to her in such a visceral and primal way, Delphine believes their relationship was inevitable… she never could have just been Cosima’s friend.

Before Cosima Delphine had never considered her sexuality, after all she had not really had cause to, as she had never been attracted to anyone in particular so why would she have bothered? She just assumed that she would be with men because that is what she had learned from society. However whether she was gay or bi or whatever Delphine felt a lightning bolt of attraction to that woman. What she had not understood at the beginning later became obvious, Delphine knows now those butterflies she felt were caused by that face, that charm and that smile.

That evening, the evening before they became lovers Delphine remembers her confusion yet heat as she watched Cosima drawing in ever closer, Delphine had felt her heart plummet and her head spin. When their lips had touched Delphine had felt tenderness, she had felt heat and she had felt lust. Delphine had felt alive, and so Delphine had ran.

It was not the kiss in itself that had caused her to freak out, but it was the fact that the kiss had sparked something her that had sent her running. Delphine had submitted herself to more than her fair share of kisses in the past but she had never been stirred by them. Had she kissed back? Of course, she had replied to these attentions as a scientist would, matching equal pressure and intensity, reading their responses and reacting accordingly. It was simply a fact that Delphine had never felt any fondness for the action, or growing desire, and she had come to believe she was simply not wired that way. That was at least until she touched the clones lips.

Lust. When their lips touched a flame shot through Delphine’s body, her body stood to static attention, her breath hitched, and her heart beat madly. She yearned for the kiss, and for the first time she yearned for more. That kiss, and every kiss that followed simply consumed Delphine, they sent her mind into ecstasy and set her body alight with desire. Desire to be touched, but most of all the desire to touch, to claim, and to worship Cosima. Delphine in all honesty had never experienced lust before Cosima, but once she had felt it, it never ebbed. Delphine lusted after Cosima almost constantly, drawn to the woman like a moth to a flame. Cosima inspired Delphine to be someone warm, affectionate, coy and seductive. She became an instigator while also learning how to let go of her body, to let her body feel and actually enjoy sex, to love sex.

Oh the sex. It was quite unlike anything Delphine had ever experienced before, and not just because it was sex with a woman. Cosima made love to Delphine, and somehow Delphine learned that love making was not just the ACT itself, but everything else that transcends the physical aspects of sex. With Cosima sex is about pleasure of course but it is also so much more, it is about the two women merging for they are so intune with each other’s body they feel and breath as one being, it’s about the connection and the emotion. Cosima treats the blonde woman with such reverence, she showed her that her body was something special and precious that deserves recognition and care. Cosima could evoke things in Delphine’s body that she had not even known were possible. She has brought Delphine to highs that have defied scientific theory… because for her it should be impossible to feel that much pleasure and not die from it. For her part Delphine had become obsessed with Cosima and with making love to the clone, she was addicted to her body, the feel of her, her taste and her smell. She loved to lose herself in the other woman. She loved to revel in the woman diminutive yet perfect frame, feeling the pulsing of Cosima’s pleasure, and feeling Cosima’s body break in ecstasy as her body comes undone. She finally after twenty eight years gets what all the fuss is about. Sex with Cosima is mind-blowing.

Nevertheless, with the change in their status quo came yet another emotion that Delphine was little equipped to deal with. Guilt. With Cosima guilt followed her around like an ominous cloud, hounding her day and night and giving Delphine no respite. There Cosima and Delphine would be, hanging out, or getting a coffee and Delphine would honestly have forgotten she was supposed to be pumping this woman for information, then it would come back like a wave and she would be frozen by guilt, she would be overcome with the desire to be honest and expose DYAD, herself and their lies. It hadn’t gotten easier either after Delphine had been exposed, loving Cosima came with complications… worried about her heath she had lied to the clone more than once, causing yet more shame and guilt that Delphine found difficult to deal with.

Beyond simple affection for the clone had come importance. Cosima had simply become the most important person in Delphine’s life, so much more than just a subject, but a best friend and later, a lover. Throughout her period as Cosima’s monitor, even long before they had gotten intimately involved Delphine had already been doing what she could to assure the woman’s safety, surreptitiously pumping Aldous for information on his plans for the clones, trying to keep one step ahead of him. She remembers being in the car with him, him telling her to “dig deeper faster” that Cosima’s safety could be at stake. She remembers the gripping fear that took hold of her as she absorbed this information, it was this and not Aldous’ “not so subtle” demand to dig deeper faster that had caused Delphine to kiss Cosima, it was the crushing realisation of the depth of her feeling for the woman. Delphine sees now, alone at her desk that she had been falling in love with Cosima from the moment they met.

Love. The be all and end all of this whole situation. Love is her driving force, her motivation and her reason for living. Love is her weakness, her suffering and her burden.

Love was never something Delphine had expected in life. The only person she had ever loved and she could say with some certainty had loved her back was her nanny Laura as a child. Delphine did not love and was not loved by her parents, a very wealthy couple that shared their time between Lille, Paris and a large assortment of other exotic locations. They had never wanted a child, they had never wanted Delphine.

She does not remember seeing them much as a child, as they were more often than not abroad leaving her to stay with the nanny in either their Lille or Parisian houses. Then Laura left, and Delphine at 10 was deemed old enough to start a very prestigious boarding school, often staying throughout the holidays while her parent’s jetsetted about the globe. Delphine does not recall this much bothering her, after all she had grown up with the knowledge she was an accident, an afterthought and above all a terrible inconvenience. Admittedly she was devastated after her nanny’s departure but Delphine expected nothing from her parents, even at this tender age Delphine arrived at the conclusion she was made to be alone in this world. And alone she would be.

Even after she had attempted to kill herself her parents had not come to visit her in the hospital, instead they called her on the phone and she talked to her very angry father, who warned her about tainting the family name and upholding appearances, about how ungrateful she was and how lucky she should feel. They sent a very expensive yet affective doctor to treat her, and paid off the school to keep her enrolled and the matter was quite simply never mentioned again. It was at this point Delphine had decided to not bother with people, but to dedicate her life to science, for science was really the only thing she understood, something that was straightforward. Unlike people.

However, Cosima had made Delphine realise not only is she capable of loving, and loving wholeheartedly, but of also being loved in return… something that still surprised and terrified Delphine, after having grown up all her life believing she was inherently unlovable. Delphine had come to the realisation that if there is anything she needs in this life, it is that woman, Cosima. She would do anything for her, for the woman who makes her want to be better, for the woman with a heart big enough to love someone unlovable.

Sitting in her office, finally composed and having managed to pull herself from her thoughts. Delphine finally takes stock of things. She picks up the phone and calls Ferdinand and is despaired to find her is already on Sarah’s trail in London. Sitting down she tries to formulate a plan but her mind is overwhelmed from her actions this morning.

Delphine had crossed a line today that she has treaded along before, yet never crossed. That being said she could not say she regretted it as she still deems that it was necessary at the time, and in the same situation she wouldn’t hesitate to do the same thing again but Delphine now had to deal with the consequences. Feeling sick with herself was easy, but how could she begin to justify or explain her actions Cosima?

Technically, she and Shay were still involved, Cosima not yet having had the time to break things off, and Delphine knew Cosima cared for the woman. How would she react when she finds out that Delphine had threatened to kill her?

Kill her. That’s what keeps going through her mind… would Delphine have done it? What kind of monster was she? She didn’t deserve Cosima, but these, her actions of this morning though trying to ensure Cosima’s safety would be finally the last straw for Cosima. She would realise what a terrible person she was, and want nothing more to do with her.

Delphine glanced at her desk drawer and reached slowly to pull it open, inside was a small compact recently procured gun. Things were after all escalating quickly. Overwhelmed with self-loathing Delphine considered things for a moment. To end it all seemed like a gift after this morning, but nothingness was not to be hers yet. Delphine had yet much to accomplish to keep Cosima, and all of Leda safe. She was certain Cosima would understandably leave her for good but Delphine could and would still ensure her safety. Then, and only then would death come to her, either by DYAD disposing of her as they had done with Leekie, or by her own hand it did not matter. She could not, and would not live without Cosima

. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cosima can’t get through to Delphine on her phone, worried and desperately hoping she has not had second thoughts about last night Cosima decides to stop by her office. Cosima sees her through the glass windows, looking out through the windows, back turned. Cosima knocks on the door… but Delphine does not respond. Cosima knocks again, getting still no response or recognition from the blonde, taking a deep breath she pulls down the handle and approaches the blonde.

Cosima approaches softly, calling Delphine’s name and asking if she is all right, she reaches the blondes side and then she looks at her, her hair is straightened, and she is wearing an immaculate suit and heeled boots.

Delphine’s eyes are glazed and distant, Cosima looks down and inhales sharply as she registers the gun resting on Delphine’s lap. Panicked and wondering what the hell is going on she lifts her head and looks quickly around, then she plants herself firmly in front of Delphine, and grasps her shoulders giving her a forceful shake. “Delphine? Delphine? Are you alright? Babe, what’s the matter? She does not hear her come in, she does not hear her approach. Delphine is gone again. Gone to that distant place without feelings, worries, stresses or even conscious thought. It is only when she feels a set of small but strong hands grip and insistently shake her shoulders that Delphine comes back to reality.

At first she doesn’t register what Cosima is saying but eventually her brain kicks back in and the English sentences start to form meaning “ Delphine? What’s going on? What are you doing with that gun? Delphine? Delphine!?”

At last the blonde lifts her head to look into the eyes of her love, seeing the obvious concern in Cosima’s eyes is suddenly too much, and Delphine is wracked with remorse and shame. Despite Delphine’s best efforts to keep herself together, her lower lip starts to tremble and tears roll down her cheeks as she contemplates how to tell Cosima what she has done.

In the end it is Cosima that causes her to break, as she softly brushes Delphine’s tears away and dark brown eyes bore into hazel ones as she says “Please Delphine… talk to me.”

It is at this that Delphine breaks down, her body heaves with wracking sobs and she struggles to breath under the weight of her guilt. Delphine cries from the depths of her soul, or whatever she believes remains of it.

Cosima, obviously worried and panicked at the sight of the distressed blonde bundles her into her arms, muttering softly and stroking long silky tresses. “Delphine, come on, you need to get this out. What has happened? You can talk to me. We will deal with it together no matter what it is”.

Delphine sobs harder at Cosima’s … knowing full well that they won’t be handling anything together in the future. Eventually Delphine manages to choke out “you will never forgive me. I don’t deserve your forgiveness. I don’t deserve you Cosima!” before once again returning to a series of incoherent gibberish and French.Delphine’s distress alarms Cosima… obviously something pretty serious has happened Cosima shaken but undeterred continues “Ok I have no idea what you’re talking about… what is it I need to forgive you for Delphine? Just talk to me ok? I promise I’ll listen before I react”.

Delphine tries to gather herself and slowly detaches herself from the brunette. Taking a deep shuddering breath Delphine asks simply “Have you talked to Shay?”

Cosima’s brow clears as she begins quickly “No not yet, but I will. You don’t need to worry about the Shay thing, I’ll go there later and end things tonight I just haven’t…” “Cosima.” Delphine cuts her off. “That is not what I meant”.

She sees Cosima’s confusion and sighs as she quickly blurts out “I went to see Shay this morning.”

Cosima looks at her blankly “you did what?” I went there to find out if she had told Castor about the book.

“But I called you… I told you it was Gracie!”

“You called too late. I went to Shay’s first thing this morning. I had been there… a while… before you called. “

“What were you doing there!?”

“Interrogating her.” replies Delphine abruptly, trying to bite back the bile that rises once again to the back of her already raw throat.

Cosima draws back and pauses before saying “interrogating her? You mean you talked to her right?

Delphine sighs and looks into Cosima’s eyes “Chérie, I just want you to know I did what I thought I had to at the time and I’m sorry. I know what I did was unforgivable even if I still believe she is not who she says she is”.

“Delphine. Tell me what you did. Now”.

Delphine looks down to the gun and swallows before stating simply “I told her I would kill her, if she did not tell me everything she knew. I told her I’d make it look like a suicide. I threatened her… with a razorblade”.

Cosima recoils in horror jerking away from the blonde who doesn’t even bother to look up, she knows Cosima well enough to know what must be crossing her mind. Slowly lifting her head she locks onto Cosima’s eyes before continuing “And yes Cosima. I could have done it if I had had to. I would have. So now you see, I don’t deserve you… or forgiveness.”

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Cosima inhaled a shaky breath and tried to think straight. So much was whirling through her mind, she was overwhelmed with various degrees of emotion. Cosima’s first reaction to the fact that Delphine had interrogated Shay was disbelief followed swiftly by panic, then rage and then disgust. What had chilled Cosima to the bone though was the simple honesty of Delphine describing how she did it… razor blades… And then the terrifying affirmation that Delphine would have actually gone through with it if she had had to. Cosima needed to get away from here… she needed to get away from her.

Cosima backs towards the door and she can barely bring herself to look at the blonde who is now watching her with utter defeat set deep in her frame and eyes. Then Cosima remembers the gun, the gun that Delphine was holding, sitting staring into space. The gun that still rests in Delphine’s lap. Cosima remembers having to physically shake the blonde back to consciousness, she remembers Delphine’s sobbing, and her nonsensical rambling about not being good enough for Cosima. Delphine was and is quite openly disgusted with herself, and as she registers the defeat in the woman’s body she becomes hesitant about abandoning her in her highly emotional state, with access to a lethal weapon. Cosima’s eyes flick to the gun as she says “Delphine, you’re not planning on doing anything stupid are you?”

Delphine stares at her a moment before letting out a shrill and slightly manic laugh before saying “No Cosima. I do not plan on doing anything stupid. I have much yet to accomplish. I will not have what I did today be for nothing. So go Cosima. I have a lot to deal with here.” Delphine finishes coldly before turning away, her tears threatening to make another appearance.

Cosima is uncertain… she is obviously horrified and admittedly rather scared. Part of her wants to run from the blonde, run from her actions, run from the whole shitty situation… but there is another part, a more analytical part that rationalises ( to Cosima’s disgust ) Delphine’s actions. Cosima had to admit that she had put this on Delphine, she had expected the blonde to solve her problem, but never thought to question how she would do so. Though repulsed by Delphine’s actions she knew that what Delphine had done she had done for a reason, to find out who had betrayed them… her and her sisters. Could she really just walk out on her like this?

Cosima shudders and walks slowly towards Delphine, who jerks her head up in surprise. Delphine had expected her to storm from her office and never look back.

Cosima continues her slow approach, coming around the desk and lowering herself to her knees before Delphine. Delphine sits frozen, she has no idea what is going so she braces herself for the worst. She watches as Cosima, whose eyes stay trained on the ground, reaches out and pulls her hand into hers. Delphine stares, perplexed but keeps her silence, waiting for the brunette to speak.

Cosima haltingly raises her head and locks her gaze to Delphine’s. Delphine feels her heart skip a beat and she flinches away slightly, feeling flayed by Cosima’s gaze.

“Look Delphine, I won’t lie, what you have just told me has totally freaked me out. I’m horrified…. I … I don’t know what to think… I don’t know if I can accept that… you can do that.”

Delphine interrupts sharply trying to pull her hands from Cosima’s “Cosima. I told you, I have absolutely no hope or expectation you will be able to accept what I have done. I don’t expect anything from you.”

Cosima continues to grip the blonde’s hands tightly and almost shouts “Just listen goddamit! I don’t agree or condone… your methods. At all. But I’m not stupid either! I know you were trying to do what you thought you had to… I know you’re trying to juggle all this bullshit.”

This was not a scenario that had even crossed Delphine’s mind, she had expected rage, disgust and hatred… not understanding. Cosima’s tenderness just goes further to prove to Delphine that she is unworthy of the woman. Cosima’s compassion is too much to bear, and she feels herself breaking again, trying to bite back her tears she tries to stand and leave but Cosima is relentless, grasping the blonde and not letting her pull away. Cosima stands herself and pulls the blond into a crushing embrace… her arms squeezing Delphine so hard she can barely breathe. Delphine lets out a sob and lets herself collapse into the tiny brunette, hugging her crushingly hard herself now, holding onto Cosima for dear life.

Cosima strokes her hair and says “I need to process this. I’m angry Delphine. But I still love you. I still love you so much. This whole situation, DYAD, Topside, Castor… freaking everything is bringing out the worst in us all. None of us are blameless. I’m partially responsible for blinding Rachel. I made the machine… sure I didn’t mean for it to hit her in the eye but it was meant to hurt her and I knew it could possibly kill her… I stacked enough pressure in the canister. We have all done bad things. It doesn’t make us bad people. Only we have that choice.” Delphine breaks their embrace and looks into the eyes she loves so much. She shakes her head in disbelief as Cosima raises a hand to her cheek.

“I love you. I do. I have to go now, to see Shay… but I want you to come to Alison’s tonight. We need to talk and I think we both need to process what has happened today. So you’ll come?

Delphine nods numbly, hardly able to believe that this is happening after believing her actions would cause her to lose the love of her life. Cosima lifts herself on tiptoe and pecks Delphine chastely on the lips saying “I’ll see you later” before turning and leaving a speechless Delphine in her wake. As she watches Cosima leave she begins to gather some resolve, she looks down at the gun on the desk and slips it back in the drawer before deciding to check in on Rachel. The clone is unconscious and unresponsive after her seizure but Delphine feels compelled to go and talk to her… to make some sort of amends to the woman she quite literally despises.

Down in the private hospital she regards the slight woman in the bed, so similar to Cosima yet so different. Delphine reaches down and caresses her hand, struggling to find words of apology deep enough to be of any consequence. As she holds the clammy hand in her own her attention is caught to the clones perfectly manicured nails… this is very strange. The woman has essentially been a prisoner here, no one could get in to do this, she couldn’t get out and she definitely couldn’t have done them herself, her motor control had improved slightly but she was still severely impaired. Scott? Delphine sincerely doubted that. As Delphine turns the hand slowly she is taken by complete surprise as the hand flies up and hits her solidly across the face.

Her cheek burns as she pulls herself up from the floor, launching herself at the flailing clone, trying to calm her as she pulls at her wires and shrieks incomprehensible words. Then she hears it… the mention of a family practice, the rapid unimpaired speech and the strong Canadian accent. Delphine has been fooled… this is not Rachel. Delphine desperately tries to calm the clone, who is hysterically shrieking about her eye, finally Delphine succeeds in calming her enough to slowly remove the patch to reveal a perfect intact eye that blinks terrified up at her. It’s Crystal.

Rachel has escaped and despair washes over Delphine, how did she do it? Then suddenly it all makes sense… Nealon. It was him.

After calming Crystal enough to talk to her she swears the nursing staff to secrecy she leaves the panicked and confused clone with promises of return and excuses of having had an “accident”. Delphine strides from the room and calls security immediately. If he is anywhere in the building she will have him. There is a good chance he is still here, the cocky bastard. Nealon has no idea Chrystal has woken up, nor does that Delphine know that Rachel has escaped.

She waits in her office, pacing in a frenzy and when her phone finally rings she lunges towards it and snatches it up to breathe a sigh of relief as the guard says “We’ve got him”. Slamming down the phone she takes the gun as an afterthought and stows it away in the inside pocket of her blazer. Delphine then practically jogs to the elevator, and as she descends into Dyads depths Delphine is literally overcome with rage at herself, how could she not have seen through Nealon?

She obviously had not been paying close enough attention, she has been too occupied with worrying about topside and Castor to be on high alert for internal threats, but now it seems obvious. Nealon had been so evasive and dismissive in response to her inquiries into Rachel’s progress, then his insistence that she needs to be kept at Dyad, his medical opinion that she was too weak to be moved.

Delphine had been played, she had been a fool… and to top it all off Delphine had kept the man on as Cosima’s assigned doctor, he had intimate details about her heath, and he had access to specimens and Cosima’s biology. Delphine had dropped the ball, hugely, she had let a Castor mole slip right under her nose into the heart of Leda, Delphine has to make this right, and she needs to find Rachel. Finally arriving at the basement floor Delphine marches towards the room in which Nealon is being held. Standing before the room are two guards, she tells them to wait outside and strides in to confront the doctor and traitor

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Neolution? Delphine is momentarily shocked, she honestly did not see that coming, Castor yes… but Neolution? She had put her “time in” with Leekie who had both fully and passionately practiced and preached Neolution… but Delphine? Well to her it just seemed like trumped up pop science, concerned with the superficial changes to the human species. Delphine is not naïve, she does know that Neolution does go beyond Aldous but is Nealon telling the truth that wherever she thinks the science is she is wrong? Could they really be as advanced as Nealon would have her believe?

The man now has the audacity to try and save his skin by offering Delphine a place at Neolution, not that she believes him, and even if she did there is no way she would ever take it. Delphine scoffs and tells the man “you’re finished’ before turning to her guards to get him to take him away.

Delphine lets out a puff of air from her lungs, like she has been hit in the chest when she sees she is alone with the man, the guards have left her here with this madman. The guards have left her.

Her heart pumping with dread, Delphine turns quickly, confronted by a bizarre clicking noise emerging from the man’s mouth and Nealon’s face contorting bizarrely. Delphine just has time to register that his hands have been freed before he launches himself at her.

As Nealon grabs Delphine by the throat and slams her hard against a metal table, she is mostly shocked and overwhelmed by the pain, the fear comes milliseconds later as he crushes her with his weight… she can’t move. To her disgust blood inexplicably pours from his mouth as he squeezes the life from her. Then she sees it, a wiggling, thick, blood covered maggot is making its way through Nealon’s teeth. The man smiles her terror and lowers his face slowly towards her as his hands continue their relentless crushing. The blonde is now terrified… all she can see is that worm approaching her slowly, a worm that came from nowhere, a worm like no other Delphine has seen and a worm Nealon seems intent on feeding to her. Delphine can’t help but let out a tight scream as blood drips onto her face from the ugly grimace of Nealon hovering inches from her mouth, while the maggot writhes more and more as it comes ever closer.

What a way to die… she can see black dots dancing in front of her eyes, and she knows she will pass out soon, Nealon is too strong and too heavy to push off, she can’t focus anymore… she can’t breathe. Delphine is about to let go when a flash of coherence runs through her sluggish mind she remembers the gun! But can she reach it?! She has to try … gasping for precious air she reaches and then mercifully succeeds in grasping the butt of the gun, she manages to shift it into her hand but she has no space to move… Delphine risks shooting herself but it’s a risk she is willing to take in face of the horror that dangles mere centimetres from her. Delphine squeezes the trigger and the bang and force reverberates in her entire body as Nealon flies off her and falls. Delphine straightens up and gasps for air, her throat burning, she pulls in huge rasping breaths while she runs her shaking hand across her face, trying to rid herself of Nealon’s blood. Then Delphine raises the gun and walks the sort distance to Nealon, who is lying bleeding on the floor. The man coughs and chokes out words that chill Delphine to the bone “you won’t make it through the night” before exhaling his last breath. Delphine knows it’s probably true but she feels herself panic, not so much for her life but because she can’t leave this mess, she cannot leave Cosima so unprotected by this hidden threat that seems to be everywhere. They are everywhere… that is evident. Even the guards at the door have obviously been compromised, untying the man and leaving him to kill her.

Delphine sees the maggot drawing back in to Nealon’s mouth and she acts quickly, bending to her bag she pulls out a forceps and captures the wiggling creature.

Sarah… she has to get through to her now! Dialling quickly she prays that the woman answers, Sarah can’t let Topside take the original genome, she HAS to keep it out of Neolutions hands. Delphine pauses to think for a second… as Ferdinand is not a man who takes no for an answer… but she is certain that Ferdinand is not part of Neolution… the man is too clear cut for that. Firstly he has no interest in science, he is just a mercenary and a gun for hire but Delphine can and will bet her life that Ferdinand is in love with Rachel. Neolution has her, and she is certain Ferdinand will want her back. As she waits for the call to connect Delphine examines the creature trapped between the forceps. It is quite simply disgusting, Delphine pulls out her torch to examine it closer, it is thick, white and pulsates… but it is quite unlike any other maggot Delphine has ever seen. It seems to be trying to get to her, straining against the forceps, stretching out towards Delphine’s face.

Finally the call connects and Delphine exhales in relief, she is brief but clear, and tells Sarah as much as she can without going into unnecessary detail. Trusting Sarah to do what she needs to do and praying she is right about Ferdinand Delphine disconnects the call.

Delphine reaches again to her bag and pulls out a small plastic container into which she drops the squirming creature, screws it tightly shut and dropping in into her bag.

Delphine stands and looks down over Nealon’s body. The man is dead… Nealon is dead and Delphine has killed him. Delphine is a killer. She shudders and steps quickly from the room gun in hand, and cautiously makes her way through the back stairway. Delphine has decided she was going to try and make a break for it, improbable though it was she would try and live to fight another day, for Cosima.

Striding quickly to her car she changed her blood stained shirt for a clean one and tried to process things. Cosima… how could she leave Cosima like this, so exposed and no closer to a cure? It was impossible, even if Delphine managed to live she would have to disappear for the foreseeable future, she would not be here in either case to help Cosima or Leda. Delphine rans her hands through her hair as she weighed up her options and came up with despairingly few, and none that she could say with certainty were viable. Delphine needed someone Cosima could rely on, someone who had contacts, and someone who has the skills necessary to help the clone. Delphine could only think of one person who even possibly fulfils part of the criteria, desperate and despaired she turned her car around and headed to Shay’s apartment. Delphine was absolutely certain even though she had no concrete proof that Shay was a monitor for Castor, but now everything had changed. Castor is no longer the greatest threat, Neolution is a threat to them both, and Delphine needed Shay. She was her only hope, and though this could be a huge mistake Delphine had no choice. She was out of time.

On arrival at Shays apartment building Delphine started to shake uncontrollably hard. Delphine was ashamed and anguished that she would have to rely on the woman, the woman she had threatened to murder… for help. Breathing heavily Delphine slowly calms herself and pulls out a Dyad card from her pocket, on it she writes Cosima’s tag number and permits a single tear to fall before stepping out into the cold night air.

Shay opened the door and was immediately panicked and defensive, trying to close it quickly, forcing Delphine to block it an almost plead with her to hear her out. Delphine supposes it’s understandable… she does not try and explain herself…but she does her best to try and in some small way apologize. She tries to tell the tiny blonde she won’t be in her way anymore, though that does not mean what Shay thinks, Cosima will need her… it is imperative that she creates a situation where Cosima and Shay can remain on good terms.

Delphine hands Shay the card, telling Shay to give it to Cosima, that she would know what it means and to tell her everything, if she wanted to. She would not confront Shay about being a monitor, though it was as sure as the sunrise, she trusts Cosima to figure things out with the file she had left for her and she prays she will realise she will need Shay on her side. Sarah will tell Cosima about the threat Neolution poses, what they are really after… if Cosima tells Shay everything, hopefully, just hopefully Leda and Castor might band together to fight the real and immediate threat.

Delphine finishes with “Be good to her.” Such a simple turn of phrase for something that is meant to convey so much. Be good to her means take care of her, it means be a good monitor, it means be honest… it simply means be good to her, be good for her, her Cosima. The Cosima she no longer has a claim to, the Cosima that when she leaves Shay’s building will no longer be hers.

Delphine feels no relief as she turns from the door even though accomplished is her only possible and inevitably final preparation she can make for Cosima’s safety. Delphine’s heart shatters at the realisation that she can do no more for the woman she loves, and she is broken by the knowledge that all her sacrifice and suffering has come to nothing. Leda, and Cosima are in a more precarious position than ever and she, Delphine was fleeing her likely death.

Ah yes, her death… if Delphine even stood a miniscule chance of survival she has to leave, and now. Delphine knows this is the simple fact, but in her mind she also knows Cosima is waiting for her at Alison’s. Delphine is no fool, she knows what her chances are, and she knows she is simply trying to outrun her certain death… though she told herself she would at least try, Delphine knows that her preparations and actions of this evening have been executed for assurance in the event of her death more so than her escape.

Delphine is going to die tonight… and she needs to say goodbye. Delphine wants to see Cosima one last time, to touch the clone and remind herself what she has been fighting so hard for, this goodbye mattered more to Delphine than her life

so with tears falling she headed to the can and directed it to Alison’s. Speeding along, not caring about the paltry road rules at this stage in the game Delphine sends off a text to Cosima asking her to meet her outside Bubbles. Delphine is unwilling to see all the sisters together, fearing her resolve will break and blurt out what has happened, Nealon, Neolution along with everything else. Delphine couldn’t put Leda in further danger, and she knew if the clones were to become aware of her impending doom they would try and save her. Delphine sincerely hopes Dyad will dispose of her so discretely Cosima will never realise she is dead. She would rather Cosima not know… the clone had enough to deal with, and even though it breaks her heart that Cosima will probably think Delphine has just abandoned her, she would not tell Cosima her life is in danger. No… it had to be like this.

To her relief Cosima is waiting outside the shop when she pulls up and quickly stepping from the car, verifying the coast is clear before making her way quickly to the clone. “You came”

“Im sorry I can’t stay”

“Just for a little bit?” The silence swells with words unsaid and Delphine tries to remain focused and unemotional.

“No…. im sorry, I need you to keep the sequenced genome safe, and Kendall Malone far away”

“Yeah I think Mrs S is really good at that kinda stuff so.. She’s got a plan.”

“Okay” Delphine takes a quick breath and her eyes flicker away and Cosima is gripped by an inexplicable panic. Cosima feels the need to bare herself…” I know why you everything thing you did, to Shay and everything. I’m sorry for making you make those hard choices and then blaming you for them…” she finishes.

Swallowing her, disgust and pride was hard but Cosima feels compelled to tell the blonde how she feels. When she looks into Delphine’s eyes she sees relief, she sees gratitude and she sees love, and when she bites her lip and bends to Cosima the clone does not hesitate.

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Delphine feels her heart expand and love overflow as this is more than she ever could have hoped for… Cosima understands, and Cosima forgives her. Delphine feels a smile rise to her lips, one of those smiles that is provoked by and reserved only for the clone. As she looks down towards Cosima’s earnest face she simply cannot resist, Delphine raises her hands to her beloveds cheeks and dips her head slowly to kiss her, as their lips meet she feels Cosima melt into her and she sighs happily as she gently tilts back Cosima’s head and lets her tongue glide softly against the clones. Delphine loses herself in the moment, in the rhythm of the soft tug and pull of their lips but all too quickly she urges herself to stop. She has to go, every second here is a second that she could be putting Cosima and her sisters in imminent danger. As Delphine pulls away she smiles and looks down at the clone who is looking at her with adoration, she brushes her fingers across her lips and she wills herself to commit everything that is Cosima to memory… if she was going to die tonight she wanted the clone, looking at her like this to be the last thing she would see.

Delphine’s eyes brim with the joy of seeing the clone, being forgiven by her but also with sadness for Delphine knew one way or another this was goodbye.

Delphine smiles and says “give you sisters all my love” and Delphine means it. From that day on the sofa in their lab, Delphine had told Cosima she loved her and Cosima told her loving her was not enough, she had to love all of the clones Delphine had taken the statement on board and tried to embrace Leda wholeheartedly. Delphine had struggled with it at the beginning as love was not something she was used to, how could she love these people who were practically strangers? But she made a promise to Cosima and she had fought to open her heart and had succeeded…. They were after all Cosima’s sisters and Delphine loved each of them, the clones she did not know, Helena, Alison, Sarah, Crystal and of course Cosima… the one she loved more than anything. So with those parting words Delphine reluctantly turns from Cosima, desperately trying to hold herself together as she gets into her car, starts the ignition and tears herself away into the night. She watched Cosima watch her drive away in the rear-view and she tried to smother the sensation of loss that touched her deeply.

Driving through Toronto’s side streets Delphine tried to consider her options, and unsurprisingly there were very few. Delphine could try and escape, but the chances of making it onto a plane were obsolete. Neolution obviously has inexhaustible resources and contacts… she wouldn’t have a hope. There were buses… but they were too slow and in any case where could she go that Neolution would not find her? Again Delphine curses herself for having been so short sighted, to have been distracted by the carrot dangling and not noticing the stick it was attached to. In any case… it was pointless now. Delphine begins to accept her death is imminent… there is not much to be done in the way of avoiding it. However… she could put the last of her life to some use. She might be able to perform one last service for Leda. If she could make it into Dyad she could access Nealons office… they would be too busy looking for her to deal with his death as of yet. If she could access his office she could delete his information on Sarah and Cosima… she could destroy his cultures, and who knows? Maybe she could find something that would be of use to the sisters after she was gone.

It was a long shot, but it was worth it. Delphine turns the car around and heads back to Dyad.

During her final minutes Delphine can only describe a sense of calm that washed over her, she had done what she could, Cosima would hopefully be safe, Neolution was exposed and Delphine was on her way to death. Knowing her impending doom did not bother the woman… she was happy that even though later than most she had at least got chance to experience life, life as it is supposed to be lived.

Delphine pulls into the underground parking and pulls out her phone, she sets the voice memo running and takes a deep breath before stepping from the car. Delphine feels nothing as she walks quickly and purposely towards the staircase. The phone would be a long shot, Neolution would probably thoroughly examine her things before disposing of her body, so leaving her phone recording would probably come to nothing… but you never know. Then she hears it, the soft echo of her own steps is shadowed by another. Delphine slows… this is it. The end. She would not die with her back turned to the enemy, but she would face them head on. She takes a deep breath and puts her bag to the ground before turning and waiting for her murderer to come into sight. When her killer finally shows themselves Delphine is not even surprised, at this stage she has seen too much tonight to still have expectations, Delphine thoroughly believes Neolution are capable of anything and everything.

Standing before her is a girl no older than 18, with blazing red hair and wide blue eyes… blue eyes that are hardened with a steely determination as she holds the gun steady. Gracie. Delphine has to admit it is genius, the girl has succeeded in infiltrating not only Castor but Leda too. Delphine remembers examining the girl in the lab, how sweet and sincere she seemed. And that sweet sincere girl was going to kill her.

Delphine’s last thought is Cosima. She would never see this girl as a threat, even if she did give Castor the book, she would believe Gracie when she says she did it for love. What are they planning? What do they want with Leda? What about Cosima?! What will happen to her?

Delphine hears the words leave her mouth though she did not intend to speak. Then suddenly she is deafened by an enormous bang, she feels the force of the sound reverberate through her as she stumbles backwards. And there is pain. Delphine looks down to see a small blotch expand astonishingly quickly, she puts her hand to the wound but she feels herself slipping.

Delphine slips to the ground and watches as Gracie comes closer, raising the gun again. Gracie raises a nonchalant eyebrow and says in her high fairylike voice” Sorry… it’s just business. Neolution sends their regards” and Delphine studies her face that is curiously empty and void of emotion as Gracie slowly raises the gun to point at her head. The redhead is less than a metre away, there is no way she will miss. She will put an end to this agony Delphine thinks, almost in relief. Delphine is starting to lose consciousness now, and it is a gift because she feels every cell of her torn flesh, she feels every heartbeat that pumps yet more of her lifeblood out of her, she feels cold. Delphine wills herself to see Cosima’s face, she sees Cosima’s smile and she sees Cosima laughing, she sees the clone stretched out underneath her giggling as Delphine tickles her lightly, she hears Cosima say “I love you. I’ll never leave you” and she is ready to go. Then she hears it, another car pulls into the Dyad parking lot… and she is gone.

Gracie hears the incoming car and turns quickly and regards the blonde again… she should really take the time to finish her off but the sound of a gunshot will be like an explosion in this enclosed space… she might as well just advertise I JUST KILLED SOMEONE HERE. She could of course kill this other person too but then she gets into delicate territory. No one will miss this doctor, Neolution have seen to that but this other person could be a headache she doesn’t want to deal with.

Gracie examines the pallor of the blonde and the ever expanding pool of blood around her. She will be gone soon anyway… Gracie considers strangling her when she hears the clip of footsteps alarmingly close and heavy too. A man. She cannot risk being caught. Quickly Gracie straightens and in her haste she forgets Delphine’s bag as she quietly trots out of the car park, mounting on her motorbike before remembering the bag and cursing herself thoroughly. FUCK! It’s too late now. Gracie chastises her sloppiness as she speeds away from DYAD, leaving the blonde behind surely dead in a pool of her own blood.


End file.
